I don’t give a crap about Mel Gibson or his personal problems. The man’s a terrific actor, and that’s all that mattered to me when I sat down to watch “The Beaver”. I didn’t want to read any of the negative reviews prior to watching it, so I went in cold, and I’m glad I did. It’s an odd little film about mental illness and broken family, directed with passion by Jodie Foster. The entire cast is excellent, but the centerpiece is a poignant performance by Mel Gibson, quite possibly one of the best of his career so far. I was a bit disappointed with his screen return in last year’s “Edge Of Darkness”, but “The Beaver” offers something completely different and fresh. And that’s always admirable and welcome. He plays Walter Black, a man who has lost his way in life and is dealing with an extreme case of depression. His wife has left him, and his son won’t even speak to him. Just when he is about to call it quits, Walter befriends a hand pupped called  The Beaver, who takes total control of his life. And it is through this puppet that he is able to redeem himself at work and with his family. This unusual story certainly requires an act of trusting on the part of the audience. I was more than willing to trust Jodie Foster and her directing abilities, and though the story doesn’t always ring true, it’s still completely absorbing and thought provoking.

“The Beaver” is one of the nicest surprises of the year so far, and while I don’t think many people would bother to see it, I still hope it finds the audience it deserves. Well done old man.

Rating: 3/4